Bluebells in the woods

Although it is a little early in the season, I have decided this week to feature some photos of bluebells in the local woods (in Ceredigion). These were taken last year. I was prompted to show these photographs because, last week, I went for a walk in these woods and the plants are just starting to show. The green leaves have pushed up about 2 inches through the undergrowth and leaves. A sure sign that spring is on its way.

The first image above shows one of the paths leading through the wood, with large drifts of the bluebells either side. I find this to be a most attractive walk for much of the year, but in the spring when these plants are out it is just magical.

The second photograph shows a single clump of these flowers against a backdrop of more plants and trees. The British bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, (often referred to as the English bluebell, but as this is in Wales, it is better to call it British. However this plant in not normally seen in Scotland; for them the Scottish bluebell is known as a harebell in the south of the UK. Confusing eh?) is, to a certain extent, endangered because the imported Spanish bluebell has naturalised and is replacing it in many locations.



This third and final photograph shows a drift of bluebells in the dappled shade. Due to the limits of the photographic process (*), this colour is a poor imitation of the rich colour that you see when you view the plants in the wild.



More photographs can be seen in the environment gallery.

Technical details:
Camera: Canon EOS 350D
Lens: EFS 17-85mm IS.
Sensitivity: ISO200, Auto WB
Exposure: Typically 1/50 @ F14
Support: Either hand-held or using a monopod.

(*) I understand this is due to the fact that they reflect a lot in the near infra-red which is not visible to us, but is registered by as red by both film and digital sensors.

Estuary at Burnham-on-Crouch

Burnham-on-Crouch is a village on the estuary of the river Crouch in the south east of England. This place is best known as a yachting centre - you can see this from the number of yachts and small boats in these photographs. These photographs were taken on a visit one fine summer day - my first visit since I was a child.

The first photo is a 'contre-jour' ('against the light') image taken directly into the sunlight reflecting off the water. It shows many craft moored on the water with one sailing past. I like the almost monochromatic (black and white) feel to it with just a hint of blue in the sky. I tried removing the blue but the result did not look right.

The second shot shows a similar view, but at a wider angle so as to incorporate the shoreline and jetty. The effect is still largely monochromatic, but this has more colour in the sky.




This third photograph look to be almost pure black and white; but I have not removed the colour, this shows it pretty much 'out of the camera' although the contrast and saturation have been tweaked.



I was pleasantly surprised at how these photos turned out. Contre-jour can be difficult (I never got the hang of it with film), but I have had some decent shots with this digital camera. The fill set can be seen at in the 'estuary gallery'.


Technical details:
Camera: Canon 350D
Lens: Canon EFS 17-85mm IS
Sensitivity: ISO200
Exposure: Typically 1/640@f18 to 1/1250 @ f20
White balance: Auto

Fog and Mist at Bryneirian Farm

This week I am featuring some photographs taken at our smallholding in Wales of the fog and mist. Although we have been here 8 years, I have yet to see a really dense fog, such as those I recall from my childhood where the fog was so dense, it was difficult to ride a bike.

The first of these photos shows the view at the end of the garden early one morning. There is a blanket of mist, or light fog (when does a mist become a fog?) lying in the valley where the village of Tregaron lies. Above this blanket of fog, you can see the rounded hills of the Cambrian Mountains.

The second image below was taken at the bottom of the garden. This is an autumn view through the bushes to the trees and gates - these lead onto some meadows and fields. I was taken by the tranquil nature of this photograph.



The third photo shown below was taken in the front garden on a misty morning. It contrasts the dovecot in the foreground with the trees at the field boundary in the middle distance. This day the fog was dense enough such that the Cambrian Mountains in the distance are not visible.




More photos like these can be seen in the 'fog and mist' gallery.

Technical Details:
Camera: EOS350D
Lens: EFS 17-85mm IS
Sensitivity: ISO200

A visit to Tintern Abbey

This week I made a visit to Tintern Abbey. This, like many monastic establishments in the UK, is in ruins due to the "Dissolution of the Monasteries" instituted by Henry VIII in the 1530s. This one is in better condition than many others. Tintern is situated in the southern part of the Wye Valley (itself an extremely attractive part of the country) on the Wales-England border.

As the weather has been rather poor lately, I chose a day when the forecast looked quite bright for that part of the country. As it is some 2½ hours drive away, I relied on the forecast. However, it was a very dull, cold blustery day.

I must admit that, for some reason, I did not feel very inspired on the day. But when I got home and started reviewing the photos, they turned out better than I expected, although I would not call them impressive. The picture shown above is my favourite from the day. Both when I took it and when I look at it, I can almost feel the monks walking by.

The second photograph shown below is to show the arches through the arches through the arched window. This works surprisingly well although if the lighting conditions were brighter, I think the image would look better.




In this third photograph, you can see the clouds of the dull day. The picture gives some idea of the scale and structure of the abbey complex. I am awed when you think of the effort that went into building it all in the days when everything was manual labour and the roads where just mud tracks.



More photos can be seen in the "Wales Gallery"

Technical details:
Camera: Canon EOS 350D
Lens: Canon EFS 17-85 IS
Exposure: Typically 1/10 to 1/15 @ F11
Sensitivity: ISO400
Support: Most were taken using a monopod for support.